Publications by authors named "Constantine M"

Unlabelled: Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) is the causative agent of Kaposi's sarcoma and is associated with primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), multicentric Castleman's disease, and two inflammatory diseases. KSHV-associated cancers are primarily associated with genes expressed during latency, while other pathologies are associated with lytic gene expression. The major lytic switch of the virus, Replication and Transcription Activator (RTA), interacts with cellular machinery to co-opt the host ubiquitin proteasome system to evade the immune response as well as activate the program of lytic replication.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Race scholars have discussed how the pandemic has disproportionately burdened marginalized communities and exacerbated pre-existing inequities, particularly for Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) in the United States (U.S.).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Long-term outcomes of patients with stage I human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer receiving adjuvant trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) remain undefined, and prognostic predictors represent an unmet need.

Methods: In the ATEMPT phase II trial, patients with stage I centrally confirmed HER2-positive breast cancer were randomly assigned 3:1 to adjuvant T-DM1 for 1 year or paclitaxel plus trastuzumab (TH). Coprimary objectives were to compare the incidence of clinically relevant toxicities between arms and to evaluate invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) with T-DM1.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * They achieve this by interfering with the host's post-translational modification activities, using various proteins like kinases and ubiquitin ligases.
  • * The review specifically examines how three oncoviruses (EBV, KSHV, and HIV) interact with the ubiquitin-proteasome system through their own or host's E3 ubiquitin ligase functions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The impact of abbreviated neoadjuvant regimens for HER2+ breast cancer on rates of breast conservation therapy (BCT) is unclear. We aimed to determine BCT rates in a single-arm prospective trial of neoadjuvant paclitaxel/trastuzumab/pertuzumab (THP) in patients with stage II or III HER2+ breast cancer.

Study Design: BCT eligibility was prospectively recorded before and after THP.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Down syndrome (DS) has a unique medical and psychological profile that could impact how health is defined on three dimensions: physical, social and mental well-being.

Methods: In 2021, we presented our proposed conceptual model to three expert panels, four focus groups of parents of individuals with DS age 0-21 years and four focus groups of individuals with DS age 13-21 years through videoconferencing technology. Participants gave feedback and discussed the concept of health in DS.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Existing bladder-specific measures lack the ability to assess the full range of bladder health, from poor to optimal health.

Objective: This study aimed to report evidence of validity of the self-administered, multidimensional bladder health scales and function indices for research in adult women.

Study Design: A cross-sectional population-based validation study with random assignment to paper or electronic administration was conducted using national address-based probability sampling supplemented by purposive sampling of women with lower urinary tract symptoms in 7 clinical research centers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to improve and validate the Surgical Preparedness Assessment (SPA) scale for measuring how ready patients are for urogynecological surgery.
  • Researchers conducted an analysis within a randomized controlled trial to see if a preoperative telehealth call influenced patient preparedness, using various questionnaires to gather data.
  • Results showed that the SPA scale is reliable, with three key domains identified, and that patients who received the telehealth call reported lower preparedness scores compared to those who didn’t.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Views can be collected from individuals (self-report) or others on their behalf (proxy-report).

Objective: We aimed to review the literature on methods and statistical approaches used to evaluate observer versus self-report responses from individuals with intellectual disability or Down syndrome.

Methods: A series of key questions related to statistical approaches and data collection methods were formulated a priori to inform the search strategy and review process.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

De-escalating adjuvant therapy following pathologic complete response (pCR) to an abbreviated neoadjuvant regimen in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer is the focus of international research efforts. However, the feasibility of this approach and its appeal to patients and providers had not been formally investigated. We aimed to assess adherence to de-escalated adjuvant antibody doublet therapy (trastuzumab and pertuzumab [HP], without chemotherapy) among patients with pCR following neoadjuvant paclitaxel/HP (THP).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The excellent outcomes seen in patients treated with adjuvant trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) in the ATEMPT trial and the favorable toxicity profile associated with this agent make T-DM1 a potential therapeutic option for select patients with stage I HER2-positive breast cancer. Moreover, T-DM1 is an established adjuvant treatment for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer with the residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant therapy. Given that cardiotoxicity is the most significant adverse event of trastuzumab, which is a main molecular component of T-DM1, we conducted a sub-analysis of the ATEMPT trial to determine the cardiac safety of adjuvant T-DM1.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: In early trials, hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs) to paclitaxel were common, thus prompting the administration of antihistamines and corticosteroids before every paclitaxel dose. We tested the safety of omitting corticosteroids after cycle 2 during the paclitaxel portion of the dose-dense (DD) doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide (AC)-paclitaxel regimen.

Patients, Materials, And Methods: In this prospective, single-arm study, patients who completed four cycles of DD-AC for stage I-III breast cancer received paclitaxel 175 mg/m every 2 weeks for four cycles.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To propose a conceptual model to identify points along the condition course where actions or inaction affect downstream burdens of non-cancerous genitourinary conditions (NCGUC).

Materials And Methods: The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) convened an interdisciplinary meeting to comprehensively consider the burdens of NCGUCs. Subsequently, the authors met monthly to conceptualize the model.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates chemotherapy-related amenorrhea (CRA) as an indicator of ovarian toxicity and its implications for women's fertility and menopause risks, comparing rates between two treatments: paclitaxel-trastuzumab (TH) and ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1).
  • Patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer from the ATEMPT trial were monitored for menstrual changes over 18 months after receiving either TH or T-DM1, with findings showing a 50% CRA rate in TH recipients compared to 24% in T-DM1 recipients (p=0.045).
  • The conclusion emphasizes that T-DM1 is associated with a lower
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study describes a multivariate statistical model (derived using partial least squares regression, PLS-R) that derives charring intensity (reaction temperature and duration) from the attenuated total reflectance (ATR) Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra of charcoal. Data for the model was obtained from a library of charcoal samples produced under laboratory conditions at charring intensities (CI) relevant to wildfires and a series of feedstocks representing common tree species collected from Australia. The PLS-R model developed reveals the potential of FTIR to determine the charring intensity of charcoal.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: The ATEMPT trial was designed to determine if treatment with trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) caused less toxicity than paclitaxel plus trastuzumab (TH) and yielded clinically acceptable invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) among patients with stage I human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer (BC).

Methods: Patients with stage I centrally confirmed HER2+ BC were randomly assigned 3:1 to T-DM1 or TH and received T-DM1 3.6 mg/kg IV every 3 weeks for 17 cycles or T 80 mg/m IV with H once every week × 12 weeks (4 mg/kg load →2 mg/kg), followed by H × 39 weeks (6 mg/kg once every 3 weeks).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Bladder health is an understudied state and difficult to measure due to lack of valid and reliable instruments. While condition specific questionnaires assess presence, severity and degree of bother from lower urinary tract symptoms, the absence of symptoms is insufficient to assume bladder health. This study describes the methodology used to validate a novel bladder health instrument to measure the spectrum of bladder health from very healthy to very unhealthy in population based and clinical research.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: We describe the item development and cognitive evaluation process used in creating the Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Bladder Health Instrument (PLUS-BHI).

Materials And Methods: Questions assessing bladder health were developed using reviews of published items, expert opinion, and focus groups' transcript review. Candidate items were tested through cognitive interviews with community-dwelling women and an online panel survey.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Skeletal muscle and adipose tissue express the vitamin D receptor and may be a mechanism through which vitamin D supplementation slows cancer progression and reduces cancer death. In this exploratory analysis of a double-blind, multicenter, randomized phase II clinical trial, 105 patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer who were receiving chemotherapy were randomized to either high-dose vitamin D (4000 IU) or standard-dose (400 IU) vitamin D. Body composition was measured with abdominal computed tomography at enrollment (baseline) and after cycle 8 of chemotherapy (16 weeks).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Adverse events (AE) during oncology clinical trials are typically reported using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), which provides information about the frequency and severity of AEs from the provider's perspective. Instruments that track patient-reported outcomes (PRO) complement the CTCAE and provide additional patient-centered information about the toxicity profile of an anti-cancer drug.

Methods: We conducted a single-arm, open-label phase II study of eribulin as first- or second-line therapy for metastatic hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: The use of growth factors adds considerable expense and some toxicity to adjuvant breast cancer chemotherapy. We tested the feasibility and safety of omitting routine peg-filgrastim use during the paclitaxel portion of the dose-dense doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide-paclitaxel regimen.

Patients And Methods: This was a prospective, single-arm study in which patients 18 to 65 years of age who completed 4 cycles of dose-dense doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide for stage I-III breast cancer received paclitaxel 175 mg/m every 2 weeks.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We tested the hypothesis that using CXCR4 inhibition to target the interaction between the tumor cells and the microenvironment leads to sensitization of the tumor cells to apoptosis. Eligibility criteria included multiple myeloma (MM) patients with 1-5 prior lines of therapy. The purposes of the phase I study were to evaluate the safety and maximal-tolerated dose (MTD) of the combination.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: An adverse event following immunisation is any untoward medical occurrence which follows vaccination. Frequency of adverse events ranges from 13% to 34% and they should be reported regardless of severity. From the beginning of 2016 to mid-2017, Guruve district in Zimbabwe did not report any AEFIs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF